#teresaboyce

Hi! I was just wondering how I can manage eating healthy whilst I'm at college. I get a selection of two hot meals for lunch and dinner and a salad bar but option is limited. I struggled a lot with it last year and generally felt disgusting all year. I don't particularly have the option of making meals myself either as the kitchen is very tiny. Any help would be great. Thanks! It can get tricky when you are relying on others to prepare your meals. I really think you need to prepare your own, no matter how small the kitchen is it is still better than nothing and I’m sure its ok for salad prep? I make up to 3 meals to take to work simply because I like to know exactly what I am eating. These are the type of meals I bring…. • Protein smoothie with mango, almond milk, rolled oats, banana, vanilla protein and flaxseed oil. • Raw vegetable salad with blueberries, avocado and chicken As difficult as it is you need to find a way to make your own meals. Smoothies are perfect; you only need a blender to make them. Raw vegetable salads I find great because they require no cooking and prep time is minimal. You can add tuna, chickpeas, chicken or boiled eggs as protein to salads. You may need to take more time to plan your meals but it is totally worth it in the long run. I have just bought the 'I Quit Sugar', after cutting down and cutting down I thought it was time to get rid of it all together. Have you read this book at all and if so what do think about it? If you are talking about eliminating refined sugars like table sugar, sweets and soft drinks then yes this is a good idea however I think the whole sugar free obsession has gone too far. Due to the sugar free obsession I get clients coming into clinic saying things like “I don’t eat carrots because they are too high in sugar” and then in the next breath say they are happy to snack on chemical ridden protein bars. You’ve got to wonder how on earth we have got to a place where a protein bar is considered healthier than a vegetable? Another thing is I don’t think people really understand what “sugars” are? Galactose is milk “sugar” so does this mean if you are going on a sugar free diet you are going to cut out all dairy too? When it comes to going sugar free focus on the refined versions, having said that you should be avoiding ALL refined foods including refined fats and refined grains (crackers and white bread). Like everything in nutrition it comes down to the quality of the product and eating foods in their most natural state. Strict sugar free diets are giving fruit, starchy vegetables and honey an unwarranted bad wrap. The nutrients and fibre are not considered when you focus only on the carbohydrate. All “sugars” are not created equal; the body digests and responds to real food very differently to refined foods. How to reduce your bad cholesterol
? The whole cholesterol debate is currently very controversial. I will be careful with my words; I don’t need the medical community coming down on me! I will simply ask you to read this…. http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease I will however give you the following tips on foods to include and avoid for optimal cholesterol levels. Foods to include Oat bran fibre Garlic Omega 3/ flaxseed oil Dandelion tea Foods to avoid Sugar Refined carbohydrates (white bread, biscuits…) Trans fats Fast foods How do I cope with food choices whilst travelling overseas? Obviously you opt for the healthiest option, fish and vegetables is always a great option for dinner. If you know you are going out for lunch make breakfast that day light i.e. fruit and natural yogurt. If you are really limited with clean healthy options simply eat what is available and watch your portion size! Having said all this I also think it is really important to enjoy yourself, try different foods and enjoy the culture. Life is about balance and happiness, be mindful but enjoy yourself. What protein powder would you recommend & why? (I've never used them). I use a few different ones: BioCeuticals http://www.bioceuticals.com.au/product/preview/Aminoplex-Whey-French-Vanilla Bare Blends http://bareblends.com.au/ Body Science Dairy Free (when detoxing) https://www.bodyscience.com.au/shop/organic-vegan-protein-vanilla.html I use these products simply because they contain good quality ingredients, low carb and provide a good serve of protein per serve. What you have to remember is that protein powder is a SUPPLEMENT not a food. Use it to bump up the protein content of a smoothie but always use it with real foods. Blend protein with fresh fruit, flaxseed oil, nut milks, green leafy vegetables etc. Protein powders are particularly good for sports people with precise protein requirements and those looking to manage their blood sugars and weight. I hope this helps The Health Whisperer xx

The following is an article I wrote for Body and Soul, it explains why intermitted fasting has taken the nutrition world by storm and why the 5:2 diet has become very popular, however I do not agree with any 'diet' I love the science and theory behind intermitted fasting and use it often in clinic. Anyway I let you read and decide for yourself....... When it comes to weight loss there are many different diet variations; low fat, high protein, low carb and the list goes on and on. There has been one common recommendation when it comes to dropping a few kilos and that is we should eat small frequent meals a few hours apart. Maybe this is the problem, are we eating too often? The truth is most of us eat 3 main sized meals, snacks and then possibly graze on top of that. We have become programed to think we need to eat at the slightest feeling of hunger. The moment we feel hunger panic stations kick in ‘quick I’m hungry, I need to eat’. Maybe its time we reprogramed our minds and learnt the difference between real hunger and habit, besides is it really that bad to be hungry? We live in a country of accessible food, most of us never really going hungry or without food for long periods of time. Do we really ‘need’ to eat as often as we do? The answer is no. Don’t get me wrong there are exceptions like those suffering with blood sugar disorders, pregnant women, athletes, body builders and people wishing to GAIN weight. These groups of people have physiological needs for frequent feeding, but as for the average person there is no ‘need’ for constant eating. There is a buzz in the world of weight loss, it’s a concept called intermitted fasting, this simply means going for periods of time without food. Now before you freak out consider the following; we actually fast everyday while we sleep, for example if you consumed dinner at 8pm and breakfast the next day at 7am this means you have fasted for 11 hours, see not so scary is it. There are many different variations to intermitted fasting, however all variations have one thing in common, you simply consume your calories within a certain time frame within the day (a feeding window) then don’t eat anything else outside of those hours. This gives your body a break from digestion and time to use stored body fat as energy. By having a smaller feeding window in the day you are less likely to snack, rather focusing on balanced main meals that are going to be more satisfying than constant grazing. How to introduce intermitted fasting into your diet It really isn’t that complicated, all you do is simply have a later breakfast and an early dinner then don’t eat outside of main meals. You may wish to start by giving your body 12-14 hours between breakfast and dinner every day. Here is how you may wish to introduce a 14 hour fast: Breakfast between 9-10am Lunch between 1-2pm Dinner between 6-7pm This is a 10 hour feeding window and a 14 hour fast each day. Will you get hungry between meals? Maybe. Will it harm you? No. Have a cup of green tea or a glass of water, you maybe shocked to realize hunger comes and goes besides being a little hungry between meals is normal especially if your trying to lose weight. Once this new fasting pattern becomes your routine, you may wish to extend the fast to 16-18 hours each day. What to eat in your feeding window Don’t skimp on your nutrition, as with all healthy diet plans you need to be eating lots of vegetables, fruit, quality protein, good fats and whole grains. If you’re only eating three times a day make the meals nutritious and satisfying. A typical day could consist of the following: Breakfast- sliced banana, ricotta and coconut oil on seeded toast plus a tea or coffee Lunch- mixed vegetable and quinoa salad with a fresh lemon juice and olive oil dressing Dinner- grilled salmon on cannellini bean mash a and salad of mango slices and mixed greens The key to remember is you’re not starving, you’re fasting for a period of the day. Make sure your meals are balanced and healthy and don’t graze outside of your balanced meals. Benefit beyond weight loss Intermittent fasting can provide health benefits beyond weight loss. Fasting can boost immunity, enhance tissue repair and reduce inflammation, a known risk factor for chronic illness such as diabetes and cardio vascular disease. Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute found that men, who had fasted for 24 hours, had a 2000% increase in circulating Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Women who were tested had a 1300% increase in HGH. Why is this important? HGH has beneficial effects on the metabolism and anti-aging, it promotes fat burning, improves skin function, reduces wrinkles and enables the body to heal at a faster rate. The most important outcome to trailing this way of eating is you will learn that you don’t need to eat as often as you do, you may realize how much you over eat. Listening to your body and understanding its actual needs is the first step to long-term weight loss and health. The health Whisperer xx